Substitute House Bill No. 6525
Substitute House Bill No. 6525
PUBLIC ACT NO. 97-3
AN ACT CONCERNING THE PARTICIPATION OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITY CONTROL BEFORE
FEDERAL AGENCIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 16-6a of the general
statutes is repealed and the following is
substituted in lieu thereof:
(a) The Department of Public Utility Control
is authorized to participate in proceedings before
agencies of the federal government AND THE FEDERAL
COURTS on matters affecting utility services
rendered or to be rendered in this state.
(b) FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ACT TO
APRIL 1, 1999, FOR ANY PROCEEDING BEFORE THE
FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION OR THE UNITED
STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OR APPEAL
THEREOF, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, UPON REQUEST OF THE
DEPARTMENT, MAY RETAIN OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNSEL IN
ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 3-125 TO PARTICIPATE IN
SUCH PROCEEDINGS ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT. ALL
REASONABLE AND PROPER EXPENSES OF SUCH OUTSIDE
LEGAL COUNSEL SHALL BE BORNE BY THE PUBLIC SERVICE
COMPANIES AFFECTED BY THE DECISIONS OF SUCH
PROCEEDINGS AND SHALL BE PAID AT SUCH TIMES AND IN
SUCH MANNER AS THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTS, PROVIDED
SUCH EXPENSES SHALL BE APPORTIONED IN PROPORTION
TO EACH AFFECTED COMPANY'S REVENUES AS REPORTED TO
THE DEPARTMENT FOR PURPOSES OF SECTION 16-49 FOR
THE MOST RECENT PERIOD, AND PROVIDED FURTHER SUCH
EXPENSES SHALL NOT EXCEED TWO HUNDRED FIFTY
THOUSAND DOLLARS PER PROCEEDING, INCLUDING ANY
APPEALS THEREOF, IN ANY CALENDAR YEAR UNLESS THE
DEPARTMENT FINDS GOOD CAUSE FOR EXCEEDING THE
LIMIT AND THE AFFECTED COMPANIES HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY, AFTER REASONABLE NOTICE, TO COMMENT
ON THE PROPOSED OVERAGE. ALL SUCH LEGAL EXPENSES
SHALL BE RECOGNIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT AS PROPER
BUSINESS EXPENSES OF THE AFFECTED COMPANIES FOR
RATE-MAKING PURPOSES, AS PROVIDED IN SECTION
16-19e.
Sec. 2. This act shall take effect from its
passage.
Approved February 14, 1997